Toronto Marlies down Abbotsford Heat to reach AHL West final

Ben Walter (top) of the Abbotsford Heat is off the ice as he is checked by Toronto Marlies Matt Lashoff.

Photograph by: Ian Lindsay
, PNG

ABBOTSFORD — A historical season for the Abbotsford Heat came to an end Wednesday, in front of a sparse crowd of just 1,360 fans at the Abbotsford Entertainment and Sports Centre.

With Heat winger Hugh Jessiman in the box for high sticking, Mike Zigomanis was able to knock home a rebound on the power play at 9:02 of the first overtime to lift the Toronto Marlies to a 3-2 win in Game 5 of the American Hockey League Western Conference semifinal, and a 4-1 series win.

“It’s frustrating,” Heat defenceman Clay Wilson told reporters afterwards. “I think we had a team that could’ve gone a lot further. We had a group of guys in there. It’s just disappointing.”

The Marlies move on to the Western Conference against the winner of the San Antonio Rampage-Oklahoma City Barons semifinal, which the Barons lead 2-1.

The Heat had won a franchise best 42 games during the regular season and 11 straight, including Game 1 against Toronto, but dropped the last four games of the series. Their power play went cold. It was held off the scoresheet in all five games, going 0-for-24 overall.

Did anyone other than the 1,360 faithful inside the AESC notice?

“Sometimes, two people on Earth make chills run down our spine. It only takes one person to make you feel chills,” said Heat head coach Troy Ward.

“Walking off the ice, with that crowd, regardless of the size of it, the enthusiasm they gave to the players and I think the players paying their respect back. I think we’ve found a home and I think people know we’re here.”

The debate on fan support, or a lack of, is sure to continue. For now, the season is over. The Heat started the night strong, faded, then fell for good.

Abbotsford jumped out to a quick 1-0 lead early in the first period on a short-handed goal from Paul Byron, who ripped a slap shot over the glove of Ben Scrivens after being sent in alone on a breakaway thanks to a feed from Jon Rheault.

One of the problems facing the Heat heading into Game 5 was the inability to pile on the goals when they had the chance. The move to insert Krys Kolanos back into the lineup paid immediate dividends.

A healthy scratch Tuesday night in Game 4, for what Ward called “internal issues,” Kolanos got that all important second goal for Abbotsford.

He buried a loose puck past a helpless Scrivens on a delayed penalty call going to Toronto.

The goal came just seconds after the Heat almost scored into their own net. With Danny Taylor on the bench for the extra attacker and a penalty up coming to the Marlies, the puck slid all the way from the Toronto end of the ice, dangerously close to the Heat net, only to slip past the right post.

The Marlies, however, would not be deterred.

Jake Gardiner cut the Abbotsford lead in half with 5:28 remaining in the opening period. His shot from the point managed to find its way through a crowd and past Taylor.

As was the case Tuesday, the Heat were unable to maintain the lead.

Matt Frattin notched his fifth of the playoffs – and his fourth of the series – with just two minutes remaining in the middle frame to get the Marlies even with the Heat at two-apiece.

The teams traded chances in the third period, although the Marlies, sensing it would take only one more goal to move to the next round, carried the play in the first 10 minutes.

The Heat overcame that. They pushed back, but were unable to beat Scrivens, who allowed seven goals in five games.

Much of the talk the night surrounding the Marlies before Game 5 was about Greg Scott’s natural hat trick. Frattin was also good. Scrivens was, without question, the best player in the series.

Taylor had something to say about that Wednesday, albeit in a losing cause.

Taylor made several big stops, officially ending the night with 33 saves on 36 shots. His biggest stop of the night came in overtime.

Flat on his belly and the puck on the stick of Nazem Kadri, who had a wide open net and what looked to be a sure goal, Taylor reached up with the blocker and miraculously knocked Kadri's backhand attempt to the corner.

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